Saturday, June 15, 2013

Balsamic Saturday

Balsamic vinegar. Is there a better condiment? I mean I guess it depends on what you're working on, but its so versatile. Come on, can you put ketchup on ice cream?

Tonight we are cleaning out the veggie drawer so we can start fresh at the farmer's market. (One of my favorite things about summer!) Brian is grilling portabello mushroom caps on the grill, and I am making a roasted balsamic carrot side. YUM. Usually I don't heat up the kitchen like that in the summer months, but our central AC is pumpin fine and sometimes you just have a hankerin for tender sweet warm carrots.



Portobello "Burgers"


Ingredients:
2 clove garlic (minced)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped
2 Portobello mushroom caps
1 tbsp light mayo
2 whole-wheat buns
tomato and lettuce, as preferred.

Instructions:
Preheat grill or grill pan.
Whisk together garlic, balsamic, oil, and basil. Drizzle half the sauce over the two mushroom caps.
Grill the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes per side, covered.
Meanwhile, lightly toast the hamburger buns. Combine the remaining sauce with mayo and spread on the buns. Place the mushroom caps, tomato and lettuce (if desired) on the buns.

Total time: 12 minutes
Serves 2 (1 mushroom burger each, of course)


Balsamic Glazed Carrots
from: laaloosh

Ingredients:
1 lb bag baby carrots
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp honey
Salt and pepper
Olive oil mist

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (check the oven thermometer, if you have one... you don't want to char these, or have them come out too crunchy).
To keep clean up easy, cover your baking pan with foil and pinch down the sides. Then spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray or use your Misto to pump olive oil on in a fine mist. (I skipped this step on accident, and just stirred the carrots around after the next step. That worked fine.)
Spread out the carrots on your foil lined and oiled pan so that they have some room to breath, and lightly mist with olive oil. Season (lightly!) with salt and pepper. (Unless you like peppery carrots, in which case by all means knock yourself out!)
Roast for about 20 minutes. While carrots are cooking, whisk together the honey and vinegar in a medium sized bowl.
Tenderly dump the carrots into the honey/balsamic vinegar mix and toss vigorously to coat (or stir gingerly, your call).
Pour the carrots and all those yummy drizzles of sauce back in the baking pan and put back into oven for another 5 minutes, to get the glaze sizzling and sticky (well, stickier!).
Serve immediately.

Preparation time: 2 minute(s)
Cooking time: 25 minute(s)
Serves 4* (each serving is about 1/2 cup, and is worth 1 WWP+)

*But Brian and I finished the whole pound of carrots. LOL!


I think these carrots are our new go-to side dish! Easy, basically takes care of itself while you manage other dishes! 
What's your go-to side? I'd love to have to pick between more!


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